Top 5 Myths About Sex Toys Debunked

Are you an expert on sex toys? Test your knowledge of three five common myths about sex toys.

Myth: You Can Get Addicted to Your Vibrator — And It Will Desensitize You

Truth: Vibrator addiction has been debunked time and time again. Some people attribute this to your clitoris becoming less sensitive due to vibrator use, but that’s not true. In fact, one survey found that vibration can even increase the number of nerve endings in tissue that it’s used on!

The reason so many people, women especially, come to rely on their vibrators is that it makes orgasm easier and sometimes even possible for the first time! Why wouldn’t you want to use one?

You can certainly become accustomed to using your vibrator, but that’s true of any masturbation style. If you feel like you rely too much on your sex toy, you can simply take a break and try other styles. It might be more difficult to orgasm, but you’ll eventually be able to orgasm from other methods.

Myth: You Don’t Need a Sex Toy If You Have A Partner

Truth: There’s an idea that you shouldn’t need a sex toy if you have a partner, and this mindset sometimes extends to masturbation, too. It’s as though having someone with whom you are sexually active, then you shouldn’t need to masturbate with sex toys or even use sex toys during sex. However, masturbate isn’t just a stand-in for sex. It provides something else, and it’s normal to masturbate even if you’re sexually active.

This myth might come from the fear that a sex toy can replace a partner, but that’s just not true. A sex toy is a tool while a partner is a living, breathing being with whom you share experiences, emotions, and more.

Plus, using sex toys during sex can make it easier to experience pleasure and orgasm, and it can provide much-needed excitement.

Myth: Sex Toys Are Only For People Who Are Single, Lonely, and Desperate

Truth: This is as false as the myth above. The idea is that people who use sex toys can’t find partners who want to have sex with them. They have to resort to sex toys (and if their sex lives perk up, they have to forget all about those toys).

People in relationships use sex toys all the time, so they’re not just relegated to single people. And the single people who use them are not necessarily desperate or lonely or unable to find someone who wants to have sex with them. They may be happy and healthy, all the more so for using sex toys.

Myth: Sex Toys Are Bad For You

Truth: There are tons of myths out there about how using sex toys, masturbating or even just being a sexual person are bad things. These judgments come from parents, religious leaders, and society at large. In most cases, they’re completely wrong. You’re a sexual creature, and there’s no reason not to explore that sexuality with toys. Masturbating won’t make you go blind or grow hair on your palms, and a sex toy won’t desensitize you or cause you bodily harm. However, there are some things you need to know about the sex toys you use.

Myth: Any Sex Toy on the Market Is Safe

Truth: While using sex toys, in general, isn’t bad for you, there are some things you need to know about sex toys and accessories. First, the industry isn’t regulated, so companies can pretty much make anything they want and make whatever claim they want about toys (or lube or toy cleaner, etc.). Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for toys.

Jelly, TPR/TPE, latex, rubber and PVC materials are all porous, which means they can harbor bacteria inside the material even after you’ve cleaned them. There is nothing you can do to prevent this aside from covering the entire toy with a condom. You definitely don’t want to use any porous toy anally and then use it vaginally afterward.

Jelly toys leach chemicals over time because of the chemicals uses to soften them, leading to them becoming misshapen, stained, covered in a strange film. These toys should not be stored next to other soft toys or used for long.

Nonporous toys include silicone, glass, ceramic, treated wood, plastic, and metal. These toys can be stored touching and will not leach chemicals (although, softer silicone may leech a residue similar to silicone lube).

Silicone toys, especially the softer once, may be incompatible with silicone-based lubes. Do a spot test on the base where you apply lube and rub vigorously for 5-10 minutes. If the material becomes tacky, it’s not compatible with that lube. Stick to water-based lubes.

Lubes containing glycerin and parabens may not be body-friendly. Look for water-based lubes without those ingredients. Similarly, avoiding numbing lubes. You could injure yourself if you’re numb and unable to feel your body’s feedback.

The only toys you should use anally are those with flanged bases or handles, which will prevent them from getting stuck. The neck should be significantly smaller than this base.

Of course, there is more to learn about sex toys material and safety, which you can find by reading our blog or contacting us.